Sidmouth Golf Club Prize Giving Night is one to remember

Steve Milton with the Vallance Cup, Milton also won the Burgoyne Cup (Image: Archant)

The tables were beautifully laid out for the dinner to follow courtesy of Kerry and Wayne, the club’s super caterers.

There is much to cover, so advance apologies to anyone not mentioned.

The ladies first of course; first up for major awards presented by captain Ros Eaton and quietly orchestrated by Anne Willoughby, came Marion Thomas to collect the Rose Basket and later to claim the Moore Cup to crown a very satisfying season for her.

Yvonne Anning collected the Rose Bowl followed by Sheila Thomson who won an armful of trophies and awards this year, including, Lady Golfer Of The Year - the Birdie Trophy, The Maitland Payne Silver Trophy and The Peggy Bell Foursomes, which she shares with the aforementioned Yvonne Anning.

Mrs Margaret Thompson won the Ritchie Cup whilst Mrs Angela Cole had a bumper year, winning the Ladies’ Eclectic Cup and, also, The Radford Cup, very well done indeed.

Mrs Andrea Milton won the Round Robin Trophy, no doubt it will pride of place on the mantelpiece beside the two trophies her husband Steve would claim later in the evening.

The Ladies’ Centenary Cup and The Handicap Cup were both won this year by Sue Billinghurst and later she would claim the Married Couples Trophy with her husband Alan - happy families indeed!

Maria Clapp, ever improving, was also a multiple winner claiming The EGU. Medal and LGU Brooch, The Payne Trophy and Morritt Medal and probably something else I have missed!

Penny Ashby claimed The Par Trophy and Dianna Anderson The Dodd Salver. Sky-diving lady Captain Ros Eaton won the Grandma’s Cup and Penny Lyne the Rosalie Warren Trophy. The Brown Bowl was won by Jane Renkin whilst Jenny Shearer won the Willcock Cup and Margaret Duece, of Mumford Trophy fame, won the Arthur Skinner President’s Trophy.

Julie Lye it was, however, who trumped them all in spite of (or perhaps because of)her single figure handicap, claiming the Club Scratch Championship, the Gertie Skinner Trophy and The Orr Cup to cap an excellent season for her - and so there you have it!

Well played, ladies all. Before we move on to the gentlemen it gives me great pleasure to report that Laurence Hill’s charming daughter Fran received the Chairman’s Award for the most improved junior golfer of the year - many congratulation Fran.

And so we come to the gentlemen, club captain John Rockey presiding, himself a winner of the Seniors Cup, though he barely looks old enough! Some very familiar to the fore here - club manager Jonathan Lee lifted The Scratch Cup and Martin White the Challenge Cup whilst Neil Holland took the much-prized Hall Trophy. The Rockey Foursomes champs this year were the long-hitting duo, Will Hastie and Moray Bosence. Then we have B Team stalwart Steve Milton, a double winner, lifting the Vallance Cup and scrapping his way through a large field to win The Burgoyne Cup.

President Trevor Kerridge and his partner Sheila Tallon won the Greenwood Trophy and Peter Abrahams took the senior’s KO cup.

Lester Wilmington dug deep to win The Digger Cup and Chris Lewis - one of the club’s very best in this reporters’ humble opinion - won the much sought-after Handicap Cup, beating David Bater in the final whilst Kevin Legg won the Eclectic Cup, Cock of the Green, Gross and Ne, not only proving that he plays a lot of golf, but that, also, he plays it very well - well done indeed.

Apart from which, lots of golfers, both ladies and gentlemen won lots of monthly medals and, no doubt thoroughly enjoyed themselves whilst doing so - well played to you all.

The captain versus club manager team event which preceded the above was won, as it often is, by the manger’s selection. Whilst the overall victory margin was too small to mention, there were some match margins to cruel to mention, so I will refrain!